September 13, 1964

By LAYMOND ROBINSON

iberal Democrats, opposed to what they call
the"Bobby Kennedy power grab," are
setting up a campaign committee to work for the re-election of Republican Senator
Kenneth S. Keating.

Formation of the group is the most recent evidence that the state will experience massive
split-ticket voting in both the Presidential and Senatorial races on Nov. 3.

Even as the Democrats for Keating group was being formed, another group--Republicans
and Independents for Johnson--was opening offices in Republican Westchester County.

In Harlem, Negro Republican leaders have turned their backs on Senator Barry
Goldwater's candidacy but are solidly behind Senator Keating.

The liberal Democrats setting up the Democrats for Senator Keating Committee will make
a formal announcement on their organization later this week.

Its nucleus will consist of about 50 Democrats who support President Johnson, but who
oppose Robert F. Kennedy's bid for election to the Senate.

Vidal an Organizer

Some members of the group met with Senator Keating and Senator Jacob K. Javits
Thursday night to pledge their support to Mr. Keating.

The meeting was in the home of Lisa Howard, a prominent figure in the Democratic
Reform Movement, at 6 East 74th Street. Ms. Howard is also a reporter and
commentator for the American Broadcasting Company.

She and Gore Vidal, novelist and playwright, are two of the principal organizers of the
anti-Kennedy group.

Yesterday Mr. Vidal, a frequent critic of Mr. Kennedy, said he was opposed to
establishment of a Kennedy "power-base" in New York that would compete with
President Johnson and the rest of the Democratic party.

"There is an analogy between the Republicans and Democrats," Mr. Vidal declared.
"The Republicans are splitting into a Republican party and a Goldwater party. In a very
similar way the Democrats are splitting into a Democratic party and a Kennedy party."

'Stand Up and Be Counted'

Miss Howard said the group was organized because "if you feel strongly about something
like this you can't remain silent--you have to show courage and stand up and be counted."

Others attending the Thursday meeting included Herman E. Cooper, the labor lawyer,
Carey McWilliams, publisher and editor of The Nation magazine, and two members of
the Advisory Council of the Democratic Reform Movement, whose names the others
refused to reveal.

The group, whose full membership will be made public this week, is also said to feel that
the former Attorney General is not a true liberal.

One of those attending the meeting said, "Bobby is the very antithesis of his brother, the
late President. He is ruthless, reactionary and dangerously authoritarian. We feel he
must be stopped now."

The new Republicans and Independents for Johnson headquarters in Westchester was
opened in White Plains. The group's national office, located here at 8 West 40th Street,
is headed by Walter S. Mack, who has said that Senator Goldwater's extremism should be
repudiated by all responsible members of his party.